If Only Tears Could Bring You Back 2
by Kakeranokirei
Summary: When Kikyou kills Inuyasha, Kagome has to live her life without him, blaming herself for his death. After five years pass, he comes back to her. The catch? He only has five days with her. This is the better, newer version of the original story
1. The Prologue 1

Kagome fingered the Shikon no tama that hung loosely around her neck. This was it, hopefully the final battle against Naraku. She was anxious, and more than that, nervous. Everything depended on her.

Sango must've sensed her anxiety, because she picked up her hand, and patted it gently. "It'll be okay," she reassured her.

Kagome looked up, and smiled gently. Sango had just as much to lose as Kagome did, if not more. They didn't even know if Kohaku would be at the night's battle. "Thanks," she replied, and drew in a deep breath. The castle doors opened ahead of them, and with a long step, the group gathered inside.

Naraku's latest dwellings were rank and wasted. The air was thick, filled with the powerful miasma. The jewel glowed in the darkness, providing a guiding light for them as they wandered into the back of the castle. Shippou trembled in her arms as the air around them grew thicker. Naraku was actually there, not one of his puppets.

Inuyasha must've caught a whiff of his stench, because suddenly, he stalked forward, and threw open a pair of tatami doors to their right. There Naraku sat, looking slightly amused. "I was thinking that you people would never get here," he said, his voice sending chills up her spine. She set Shippou on the ground, and drew out her bow and arrows.

He chuckled. "Your toys don't affect me. I thought you would've figured this out already. Now," he motioned forward to her using one of his long, bony fingers. "You have something I want." Instinctively, her free hand flew to the jewel. He nodded. "Yes, that's it. Be a good girl, and hand it over."

Inuyasha stepped in front of her. "Over my dead body."

Naraku chuckled again. "That won't be a problem." He shot a tentacle arm out at him, but Inuyasha grabbed her by the waist, and together, they dodged it.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered in her ear, sending a different set of chills up her spine. "Do it now."

She nodded, and steadied the arrow. She had one shot at this. She closed her eyes, and released the bow. She felt the breeze of Kaze no kizu beside her. She wrapped her hands around the Shikon no tama, and began to pray. The glow grew brighter, until her whole body was one big glow. Her eyes were cast down, concentrating solely on the jewel. She was tempted to look up, to see if the arrow had hit its target, but her job required that she remained concentrated at the task at hand.

The Shikon no tama began to dissipate in her hands, slowly leaving her with a tingling sensation. Her eyes quickly glanced up to see the horrifying, if not somewhat satisfying scene that was before her eyes.

They had been right about Akago being hidden there. The baby laid broken in two pieces, a large pool of dark crimson surrounding it. Naraku's body was scattered, but his head remained intact. His eyes stared at them in a glass gaze. Kagome considered their luck that Naraku couldn't stand his heart to be in two bodies any longer, and had converted back to the original one. It made the fight easier than it could've been.

She flexed her fingers. The jewel, a few moments ago so warm in her hands, was now gone. She looked to Sango, then to Miroku, who was staring intently at his right hand, to Shippou, then finally, her eyes fell on Inuyasha. He stood there, stone-like, until a giant smile broke out on his lips. "We did it."

She breathed a sigh of relief. Sango started to cry, and Miroku wrapped both arms around her, looking satisfied with himself. Shippou jumped up with joy, and Kirara meowed happily. Their fight was finally over.


	2. The Prologue 2

It had been a week since they had defeated Naraku, but Kagome could still feel the adrenaline rush. It would be awhile until they arrived back at Kaede's village, but she was happily enjoying herself with her friends. She wasn't exactly sure that she would ever have the chance again, if she succeeded in passing through the well. Inuyasha had said there was a chance that she could get back to her time, but not be able to come through again. And then, there was the possibility that she wouldn't get through at all. She had told her mother this, and Ms. Higurashi just smiled, and told her to follow her heart. Her heart wanted to stay with Inuyasha and her friends here, but home was really where, or rather when, she belonged.

Speaking of Inuyasha, she hadn't seen him in a good while. He had left to go find them more firewood to burn, but hadn't returned yet. She glanced over to Sango and Miroku. She had her head leaned against his shoulder, staring into the dying fire, a huge smile on her face. They still hadn't found Kohaku, but just the fact that he was free made them all happy.

A thin line of white caught her eye. She didn't have to look to suddenly realize why Inuyasha was taking so long. Kikyou. She should have known. She rose up on her feet, a startled Shippou falling off her lap. "Hey!" he exclaimed, but she ignored him, continuing to where the soul eaters were headed.

They led her deep into the forest. She was scared to follow, scared of what she might find. And she had every reason to be.


	3. The Prologue 3

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou exclaimed. Inuyasha spun around at the sound of the anger in her voice. She raised her bow, an arrow locked in the string. She pulled back and held, waiting for his reply. "Don't walk away from me! I'm not finished with you!"

There was sadness in his eyes as he looked at her. "Kikyou, look. Ya have to understand-"

She released the bow, the arrow piercing him at a clear range. He staggered backwards, then clumped to the ground. As his world went black, he could've sworn that he heard Kagome scream his name.

She had arrived just as he had hit the ground. "INUYASHA!" she screamed, rushing over to him, tears in her eyes. As she bent down, and cradled his head in her arms, she noticed the arrow sticking out of his chest. It was then that she looked into the cold eyes of his murderer. Kikyou glared down at her. "Why?" Kagome screeched, crying. "Why would you do this? He loved you!"

Kikyou snorted with disgust, and for a moment, Kagome was sure that her grave would be right there beside him. But instead, Kikyou turned around and left Kagome alone.

It wasn't till much later that Miroku and Sango found her, with arms still wrapped around his now cold body. Her face was dirty, and she was shivering from the cold and horror of losing him. Her tears had never stopped coming as she continued to call out his name, even after Sango pulled her away from his body forcefully.


	4. Two Years Later

It had been two years since that day, the day her life had ended. Not officially, of course, but her continual existence was that of a ghost. She was lifeless, spending all of her time moping around the huts. She couldn't go back to her time; she had tried. She was forever trapped in this time. She could hardly walk without bursting into tears of the memories that had been shared there. Mostly, she stayed at Miroku and Sango's hut, but she knew that she was only a bother to them. She would've stayed at Kaede's hut, but she had the new village miko staying with her.

Kagome had never felt so alone. She was tired of people pretending to not be annoyed with her attitude. At least Kouga had told her the truth when he came to visit her that last time. She could always count on him for the truth. She was a mess, and she knew it, but there was nothing she could do about it. Shippou had said that much before he left with Kouga to go find other kitsune youkai out there. A small part of her old self had been disgusted by her apathy towards him leaving, but it had only been a small part, the truth of the being she was now.

Kagome lay on her mat, staring at the ceiling. Sango knocked on the frame of the doorway before entering with a basket. "Kagome-chan?" she said softly.

Kagome lifted her head up slightly, to let her know that she was awake. "What?" she snapped.

Sango looked hurt, but set the basket down by her bed. "I was wondering if you could take this up to the Goshinboku.....?" Kagome flinched. That was where Inuyasha was buried. Sango must've seen her movement, because she hastily added, "I would go, but I don't want to take Kaori up there. I wouldn't ask you otherwise. Please, Kagome-chan?"

She groaned, but lifted herself up. "Fine." She would offer to watch Kaori, but they both knew that the child would more than likely get hurt because it only took seconds before Kagome would zone out again. Sango left her alone in the room to collect herself enough to go.

Kagome peaked into the basket. Much of it was filled with offerings. Only one thing caught her eye. She lifted it carefully out. It was a picture they had taken before the fight with Naraku. She had been so happy then, standing beside Inuyasha. He had a scowl on his face, but that was nothing too unusual. She remembered that he didn't want to be in it because he thought it was dangerous. He had jumped when the flash went off in his eyes. They all had laughed hysterically as he sauntered around and complained.

She had given each person a copy of the photograph. She herself had one, wherever it was. She wondered whose copy it was, Inuyasha's, Sango's, or Miroku's. Maybe even Shippou's, if he had left it here. Tears broke out, and she found her cheeks damp again. She set the picture down, and carried the basket out the door, tears still going down her cheeks.


	5. Goshinboku

This was the first time she had been to the grave since he had died. There were many offerings surrounding the roots of the Goshinboku, all from thankful citizens of the village. She set the basket down, and climbed up onto a root. Her fingers brushed against the small dent in the tree. It was where she had first met Inuyasha. She never would've dreamed back then that she would fall in love with that loud-mouthed, silver-haired, dog-eared boy. She rested her head against the smooth bark, her tears staining it a darker shade of brown. "I miss you," she whispered. If she had only been a little early, she might've been able to prevent his death. If only she knew what they had talked about.... she didn't know exactly what would've happen. Maybe she would've been in the grave with him, but it would've been better than living without him.

The clouds above her head burst, and suddenly, she was soaked from head to toe. But she stayed, pressed up against the tree. She could almost feel the Goshinboku wrap its arms around her, as if trying to comfort her. She closed her eyes, imagining it.

"Kagome-chan!" Her eyes shot open. Miroku stood down below. "Come on! You'll get sick if you stay out here!" he called.

She nodded, and slid down the root. He helped her off, and together, they ran for the warmth of the hut.

Later, she would hear him tell Sango that she was losing her mind. She wondered if that really was true.


	6. Three Years After That

**Here she was again, standing underneath the Goshinboku. Five years after his death, it was the only place she ever really felt welcome. Her home was cold and empty, her friends avoiding her like a disease. No one would miss her if she suddenly disappeared, except maybe the Goshinboku itself.**

**She sat against one of the roots, leaning her back against it. Dirt splotched her already brown kimono. The offerings to Inuyasha had dwindled over the years until hardly any remained. She didn't care. It meant that there was more room to sit down, as far as she was concerned. Her arms went around her chest, and her fingers found the scabs of scars on her upper arms. Inuyasha had put them there when he had kissed her once, and despite the pain, she had enjoyed it. Of course, these scabs were more recent. She kept them alive, kept them bleeding, just so she knew that she could still feel something other than the numbness that had overtaken her three years back. Besides, it was a way to let her think that he might have loved her, even if he had spent his last moments with Kikyou.**

**She raised her head so that she could see the stars. She loved how they shined when nothing else did. It was different than the city. She kept her eyes on the skyline, searching for... something. After hours of looking, she sighed, and laughed a little to herself. She had realized what she had been looking for. The flash of red never came, which it wouldn't have, anyway. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "I wish you could be here, to see to me like this. It's ridiculous, I tell you. I think I might be going insane. I really thought you were coming for me." She sighed again. "I wish you were, though. I wish that you were here for me again." A single tear slipped down her cheek, and landed beside her on the soil.**


	7. Dreaming?

Sunlight hit Kagome's face before anything else did. She peaked her eyes open. Had she fallen asleep at the Goshinboku again? This was the sixth time this week, and only one day left for her to make it a full week. She sat up straight. A red cloth material fell into her lap. She recognized it almost immediately. She'd never forget that red haori. It had saved her life several times. Was this some kind of sick joke, or was she going insane, like she had originally thought?

"Why ain't ya at Kaede's? It ain't that far from here." The familiar gruff, male voice sent shivers up and down her spine.

Slowly and carefully, she turned her head to look at him. "Inuyasha?"

"Don't act so damn shocked," he replied. "Ya feelin' all right? Ya look worse than the bone youkai we fought off a couple of days ago."

She had to laugh at his crude sense of humor. She did look bad, with her skin looking like it was hanging from a pair of bones and her face dirty. She was dreaming. She knew it. Either that, or she had finally cracked. "Inuyasha, stop joking around. What are you doing here?"

"What'd ya mean, what am I doin' here? I woke up, and here we were, under the Goshinboku. I mean, yesterday, we were by the ocean. I ain't got no clue what's goin' on. How the hell did we get here so fast, and why ain't I rememberin' nothin'?"

"Come on, I've had better plot lines than this."

He looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"This is a dream, isn't it? It has to be.... After all, you can't really be here. It'd be nice if you were, though."

"What the hell're ya talking about, Kagome? I'm here."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, you are."

He got angry at her remark. "I mean it. I'm here. Are ya sure ya ain't sick?"

She took his hand in hers, and pressed it against her cheek. It felt cool, but not cold, like it had been the last time she had touched him. "I'm fine, now that you're here." He blushed, and withdrew his hand forcefully. One of his claws caught the side of her cheek, and scratched her. She recoiled. "Ow!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry," he said, his eyes cast to the ground, cheeks still red.

She rested her hand against her cheek, and could feel the scratch begin to place itself. Then, it hit her. Dreams wouldn't hurt. Pain wasn't a factor in dreams. She reached over, and touched his face. She could feel him through her fingertips. He was alive somehow, breathing before her very eyes. "Oh my god," she gasped, and quickly withdrew her hand. "You're alive." The world around her went black with realization.


	8. Reality

Kagome woke up in Hikari's hut. What was she doing there? On her head laid a damp cloth. She fingered it lightly. She had dreamt about Inuyasha again, only this time, he was real, so real. She had felt him against her skin. The remembrance of the dream made her smile. If only it had been real, she thought to herself.

She heard Hikari before she saw her. She was yelling at someone to wait outside. Then, Hikari came in with a new set of clothes, and some food. Breakfast, presuming it was still morning. Hikari's face lit up when she saw that Kagome was awake. "Kago-chan!" she called. "I'm so glad that you're all right."

"Hikari-sama," she breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn't have known how to act if it had been Sango. She and Sango already had enough issues, and she didn't need Sango casting an eye on her current state of mind more than she herself already did.

"What have we been telling you about sleeping outside? It's not safe, Kago-chan…" Hikari scolded.

Kagome sat up, but a wave of dizziness forced her back down. "I feel lightheaded."

"Well, you keep sleeping on the cold ground every night. Don't think that we don't notice. You'll get sicker if you keep it up." Hikari pointed her thumb towards the entrance. "You're lucky he found you. I can only imagine what would've happened if you hadn't been in your hut this morning."

Kagome nodded, then froze. Hikari had said "he." "Who's he?"

"Kago-chan, really! That boy from this morning. Well, he isn't exactly a boy, but... close enough. He said that you had talked with him earlier." The only person she had talked to had been in her dream, and that was Inuyasha. She struggled to get on her elbows to prop herself up. Hikari rushed to her side, and pushed her gently back down. "Kago-chan, you need rest."

"I want to see him."

"The boy?"

"Yes."

Her eyes looked at her sadly. "It's not him. He's dead. The dead can't come back to life."

Kagome hid the shock in her face, and softly replied, "I know that." And she did know it. It hadn't been the first time that she had dreamed of Inuyasha, and it wouldn't be the last. But, she just wanted to make sure, to know that he really hadn't been there. "I still want to meet him... so I can thank him."

Hikari regarded her suspiciously, but then shrugged and rose to her feet. "Don't be too disappointed when it's not him," she mumbled.

Hikari disappeared through the opening, and she heard shouts from outside, then the sound of someone running towards her. Despite Hikari's conviction, the dog-eared boy popped his head into the room. "Inuyasha!" she breathed a sigh of relief. It was him, somehow.

He scowled at her. "Do ya know how scared I was when ya just dropped for no reason? What the hell's going on around here, Kagome? Ya faint, then I get to Kaede's, and she ain't here. Instead, it's this young looking bitch that kept yellin' at me, thinkin' I attacked ya. And why do ya suddenly look so much..." he struggled with the word. "Older?"

She sighed. He was still impatient, still the same. It almost hurt to look at him. She didn't want him to see her so aged, so warped like she was. She felt naked under his gaze. Shifting uncomfortably, she replied, "It's a long story."

He sat down beside her. "I ain't got no where to go."

She didn't know exactly where to begin, so she figured to start with what he last remembered, and fill in from there. "What happened yesterday?"

"That ain't got nothin' to do with now."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Just answer the question."

"I told ya this morning, we were by the ocean."

"How long had we been there?"

"Three days."

A low growl escaped her throat. It wasn't that she forgot what happened that day. It was that it was so long ago. There was going to be a lot of explaining. She decided to give him the condensed version. "Well, I don't know why you remember only then. But after we left the beach, we went and defeated Naraku."

"I ain't fallin' for your lies. Naraku ain't dead. Not without me hittin' the final blow."

"You did."

"I ain't rememberin' it."

"Just trust me on this, okay?"

"I'm tellin' ya, it ain't possible."

"But we did it. We used the Shikon no tama, and then, it disappeared."

He glanced around. "Are Miroku and Sango in on this joke, too? It ain't funny. I bet Shippou put you up to his, didn't he? That little bastard's gonna pay."

"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed. "This isn't a joke!" She could feel tears swell up in her eyes. She was getting aggravated that he didn't believe her.

He could smell the salt in her tears, and bit back any further remarks. "Fine, let's say I believe ya. What next?"

She bit her lip. Next, he had died while talking to Kikyou. She didn't know how to tell him, or how to make herself face it. "I... don't know."

"Kagome...."

"I remember just as much as you. I have no clue what's going on, either."

"You're lyin'."

She sighed in defeat, knowing that she couldn't lie to him that well. "It's for your own good."

"Tell me, dammit!"

"Ask someone else. I... can't do it."

He stood up. "Where's Miroku? I'll make that lecherous monk tell me."

"He's probably at his hut with Sango."

He looked at her quizzically. "Where's that?"

She sighed. "Carry me on your back. I'll show you." She opened her arms to him, and he pulled her onto his back. She pointed out the door. "Just keep walking straight out the entrance." He nodded and broke out into a jog. Kagome watched as Hikari passed by in a blur, barely enough time to react. "Slow down," she commanded.

He did, until they reached the edge of the village. "Where to now?"

"Go that way." She pointed off to the left. "They live at the end."

"They?"

She felt her own cheeks heat up from embarrassment. "Sango and Miroku. They got married four years ago."

"How long have I been gone?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Five years," her voice managed to squeak out. It seemed so much longer to her.

"No wonder ya were surprised to see me this mornin'."

She wrapped her arms tighter around his chest. Yeah, it was no wonder. He had been in the ground when she had fallen asleep, and out of it when she awoke. It was a marvel that she hadn't had a heart attack.


	9. Awkward Apologies

The situation was awkward. Kagome sat across from Sango, Kaori, and Daisuke on the floor. She was scared to touch any of the children, afraid that Sango would snap at her. She could feel the tension rolling between her and Sango. When she had shown up that morning with Inuyasha, Sango had thought that she herself had lost it. It took a lot of convincing for her to realize that it was a living and breathing Inuyasha. Speaking of him, he was outside on a walk with Miroku. Miroku had agreed to tell him what had happened. He knew that even if Inuyasha was back, she was still unstable.

Sango kept glancing up at Kagome. Finally, she cleared her throat. "I'm... sorry."

"Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"But-"

"It's alright, Sango-chan."

Sango looked relieved, and went back to playing with Daisuke, who sat in her lap. She pushed his hands together, and tickled his stomach. He giggled happily. Kagome smiled, watching them. Envy stirred up in her, but she quickly shoved it back down. There would be time... maybe. If Inuyasha didn't decide to leave her for Kikyou. If he stayed because he loved her, and not some other reason.

The boys came back, two dead rabbits and a venison thrown over their shoulders. Inuyasha's face was grim. Kagome wondered just how much Miroku had told him, and if they had talked about her. Well, that was inevitable. No doubt Inuyasha had asked questions. But exactly how far had Miroku gone with his answers? Had he said anything about Kagome's depression, how everyone had either left her or distained her? Had he told Inuyasha of her often unprecedented tears, or in later years, the numbness? It seemed that some things she was going to have to tell him herself, if she told him at all.

Inuyasha briefly glanced her way and tried to smile assuredly, but his lips stuck, so he only managed to stare at her. She wondered what was going through his head when he saw her, after hearing all the things that must've been said.

Sango said something about dinner with Hikari, but Kagome only paid attention to Inuyasha's refusal to look at her for more than a second, like she was an eyesore.

"Who's Hikari?" Inuyasha's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"The miko from earlier. The one who yelled at you," Kagome replied, trying to get him to look at her. He didn't even bother turning his head.

He groaned. "Oh. That bitch. Where's Kaede?"

Sango pitched in before Kagome had time to think about it. "She passed away last year." Sango looked to her for a reaction. Kaede had been the one to understand Kagome's pain. Before she took Hikari as an apprentice, she had been there for Kagome to rely on. But, Kaede had a job, and realizing that Kagome could barely do anything, let alone become the new village miko, Hikari had taken Kagome's place. Still, losing Kaede had been hard on her, on top of losing Inuyasha.


	10. Same Old Inuyasha

Dinner was tense and awkward. Sango had informed Hikari about Inuyasha, so she wasn't too sure about how to act around him. Inuyasha still wouldn't look at her. She swore to herself that she would have a talk with him after dinner. Then, there was Sango and Miroku that looked so happy together when they weren't trading secret eye signals to each other. Kaori wouldn't sit still. Daisuke kept trying to crawl into the food. It was a total disaster.

After dinner, Kagome helped Sango and Hikari wash dishes outside, rolling up the sleeves of a green kimono Sango was letting her borrow. It hung loosely on her frame, even though it was made small, and for the first time, she realized exactly how thin she was. The kimono ribbon was wrapped around her five times, just to keep the kimono on, yet it still fell down slightly. The main problem was the shoulders and how they kept slipping down constantly.

When they were positive that they were out of earshot, they set the buckets down and got to work. They worked in silence until Hikari spoke up. "So, that's really him, isn't it?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah."

"He's not exactly the way I pictured him."

"He's exactly how I remembered him."

Sango laughed at this remark. "Same old clueless Inuyasha, huh? I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Kagome found herself laughing, too. "I'm not sure, either."

Sango's face turned sullen. "You two really should get things cleared up. I can't stand to see you two like this. Kagome-chan, I know how much you longed for him. It must pain you, too."

She smiled sadly. "He always had a way with that."

"I feel like I'm missing out on something," Hikari butted in. The three of them looked at each other, and began laughing hysterically.

Sango looked like she wanted to say something else, but the crack of a fallen branch broke her off. Kagome swiftly turned around to see who their guest was.

He looked awkward, just standing there. He still refused to look at her, but he motioned towards the forest, away from everyone else. "Come with me."

She crossed her arms across her chest, feelings from long ago returning to her, like her stubborn ways. "If I go, will you look at me?" She could hear the snickers of the girls, but kept her face serious. She had missed this, this feeling that wasn't apathy or depression.

He looked bewildered as he gazed up at her. "What're ya-?"

"You won't look at me, and if you do, you won't look for very long. I've noticed it, and," she motioned to the women behind her. "They've noticed, too."

"Kagome..."

"Will you?"

He sighed. "Yes, just come on." His voice had a tone of urgency, and she realized that he was embarrassed.

She smiled triumphantly, and moved forward. Once at his side, she turned and waved goodbye. Sango mouthed _good luck_, and Hikari mouthed _you go, girl_.

They wove in and out of different paths, all of which led deeper into the forest. Her hand itched to hold his, like she would in the old days, but given his current mood, she wasn't too sure how he would react. Most likely, he'd recoil. She wouldn't be able to stand that, so she kept her hands to herself.

When he guessed they were far enough, they stop. She sat down on a boulder. He leaned against a tree, arms crossed, a scowl on his lips. She waited for him to begin, but after several long, drawn out moments of silence, she spoke up. "Why are you acting like this?"

The sound of her voice seemed to startle him. "Like what?"

"You know as well as I do like what. Don't act oblivious."

He sighed, searching for where to begin. Finally, he found it as he looked into her face. "Why ain't ya takin' care of yourself anymore, Kagome? Ya look... sick."

His question disturbed her. Did he mean that she was no longer attractive towards him, presuming that she ever was? "I just... didn't care anymore. About anything. Not after you died."

"I heard." He cast his eyes to the side. "Why would ya act like that? I mean, ya still had everyone else left."

She studied his face. Did he seriously not know? That he was the most important person in her life? She knew that he was blind to the fact that she loved him, but he didn't know this, either? Finally, she sighed. "It's... complicated."

"Tell me."

"Someday, but not now. You're... not ready to hear it yet, and I'm not prepared for the repercussions."

"Fine." He stopped, leaving only one more question to ask, and it was one she didn't want to answer. "Did... she really kill me?"

Kagome nodded. "She looked like a madwoman, standing there after you had collapsed." She bit back the tears that threatened to pour. Even if he was right there in front of her, it was still hard remembering that.

"Did ya see her shoot me?"

"I didn't need to," she replied, and looked away. She couldn't stand the sight of the pain in his face as he thought about Kikyou. She heard him mumble something to himself. "What was that?"

"It ain't none of your business."

"Inuyasha." Her voice was hard like stone. "If you don't tell me..." She pointed to a space on her neck, then gestured to him. He looked down at the rosary beads.

"Dammit," he swore.

"Tell me."

"I said, I'm goin' to find out exactly what happened."

Her face trembled with a new wave of tears, these from horror and the fact he still wanted to see her, even after she had dealt him a deadly blow. "You can't!" She cried hysterically. "Inuyasha, please tell me you won't!"

"I ain't got no choice, Kagome. I need to know."

"No!" She leapt up from her seat and went to hold onto him tight. Her dam of tears broke loose, and she cried into his haori. "I lost you once. I can't do it again."

"Ya ain't goin' to lose me." He laid his hand awkwardly on Kagome's back.

"She killed you, Inuyasha! Don't you realize that? Once she finds out you're alive again, she'll come back after you!"

"Ya ain't got no way of knowin' that."

"You don't, either!" She clutched his shirt in her tiny fists. "Please, promise me you won't go."

"Kagome..."

"Promise me!"

He gave in and held her tiny, shaking body tightly to his. "Fine. I promise."


	11. Temptation

The debate for where Inuyasha was going to stay happened while they were out, and when they came back, it was unanimously decided that he'd stay at Kagome's hut. Secretly, she agreed, but outwardly, she opposed the idea. "What about this place?"

"We have enough just handling the kids. We can't take in another stray," Sango explained. So, she saw her former best friend as a stray? The remark stung.

She turned. "Hikari-sama?"

She shook her head. "My parents won't let me have anyone stay in the hut that's male."

Damn, if only Hikari was older, and not sixteen. "Can you explain the situation?"

"That'll be a no. There are no exceptions for them. You know that." She had a point. Whenever Hikari wanted to take Kagome to leave the village to cheer her up, they wouldn't let her go, even after they saw how severely depressed Kagome was.

So here he was, half naked because of the heat, sleeping in the same room as her. The comfort she had once felt when he slept in her room was gone, and she wondered how she had managed to sleep at all in the past. The features on his face were soft, and she crawled away from the coolness of her bed to lay her index finger on his cheek. The skin was smooth, not callous like she had been expecting. Then again, he was full of surprises.

He remained asleep as she traced her finger along his cheekbones, his eyelids only twitching slightly. She got a crazy urge to just kiss his lips. Quickly, she withdrew her hand and flew back over to her side of the room. This was going to be a very long night.


	12. The Truth Of The Matter

Hikari's voice in the room beside hers was what woke Kagome up first. She could only make out a muffle of her words, then she heard a second voice. It belonged to Inuyasha. She scrambled out of bed and went over to the door. The seriousness of his tone stopped her from immediately entering the room.

"Five days ain't enough. I need more time." Inuyasha's tone was bitter.

"Trust me. If I could find you more time, I would. But, it's five years that you've been dead, not longer. So five days it is," Hikari explained. Kagome was confused, unsure of what they were talking about.

"She ain't gonna like it. I gotta tell her."

"No! You can't!"

"Why the hell not? She has a right to know."

"Look at her, Inuyasha. She looks so sickly. If we told her-"

He cut her off. "And when I just disappear after five days? How the hell is she gonna take that?" They were talking about her. Something they didn't want her to know. Kagome pressed her ear closer to the opening.

"If you tell her, how is she going to enjoy the time you two have together, knowing that you'll just die again? She won't." Suddenly, everything hit her. She understood everything now. Inuyasha... he was going to die again in five days... four now. He didn't have a second chance at life, not really. He only had days... DAYS... before she had to go without him again.

He growled. "It's better than her not knowin'." He turned around as he said it, looking to where Kagome stood in the doorframe, tears streaming down her face.

"Kago-chan!" Hikari exclaimed. "Is everything all right?"

She shook her head. "Nothing is all right and nothing ever will be." She fell to her knees. Inuyasha rushed over and took her in his arms. "Four days," she whispered.

"This is your fault," Hikari declared, glaring at Inuyasha. "I told you-"

"Hikari-sama, I'm glad that I know," Kagome explained, gulping in huge breaths of air to try and control her emotions. "I _needed _to know."

Hikari nodded, and got up silently, leaving through the door. Inuyasha cradled Kagome gently in his arms, careful not to break any bones. "Kagome... I'm sorry."

She just nodded, and dried her tears on her brown kimono sleeve. "It's not your fault."

"It is. If that day, five years ago...."

"Don't talk," she commanded.

He continued on. "If I hadn't seen Kikyou....."

"Don't talk." She rested her ear against his chest, listening to the in-sound time of his heartbeat. She already knew that. She had thought about it everyday for the last five years, thinking if onlys. She didn't need him to start thinking like that, too.


	13. The Proposition

She didn't know how to act. What was she supposed to do? She had less than ninety-six hours to spend with him before.... what? What happened when his time ended? Did he die again, or simply disappear? He had said disappear earlier, but he could've just been saying that, not really meaning it.

He had let her cry into his chest for the entire morning until their stomachs had growled in unison. They had looked into each other's faces, and burst out laughing. He had left her to go get some food for them. She sat silently by herself on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, waiting for him to return. He was taking longer than he needed to. Panic seized her, and she raced out the door, her eyes franticly searching for him.

Sango stood outside her door, eyes wide with surprise. "Kagome-chan? Is everything alright?"

"Inuyasha's been gone too long."

Sango smiled, remembering when she used to think like that about Miroku. He had changed from his perverted ways, but it had taken some time. She doubted that Inuyasha would've gone away from Kagome, though. And as desperately as she wanted to tell Inuyasha about how Kagome felt about him, she'd keep quiet for Kagome's sake.

She raised the basket in her hands. "Don't worry about him right now. Worry about you, Kagome-chan."

Kagome just now noticed the basket she had carried with her. "What's in there?"

"Supplies to make you youthful again. It'll get you back to how you looked five years ago." She pulled out some of Kagome's shampoo that she had saved from the last time Kagome had visited her time. "First, we need to visit the hot spring."

"Sango-chan, this really isn't necessary."

Sango grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. "Trust me, it is."

Kagome resisted by letting her feet drag. "But what about when Inuyasha comes back and the hut's empty?"

"He's with Miroku right now, so don't worry about it."

"Oh." He hadn't told her that he was going up there. He had just let her sit in the hut and worry. "Did he eat while he was there?"

Sango nodded. "All of us ate lunch together. I was surprised that you hadn't come with him."

Kagome bit back a stifling cry. He had forgotten about leaving her alone in her hut. He had forgotten about her. She wanted to be angry, but she couldn't bring herself to rile up those emotions in herself. She had enough on her hands than to be bitter toward him for the next four days. And really, what did it matter how he spent his remaining time? She was selfish in thinking that she could have him all to herself, and wastefully hoping that he would only want to be around her, and no one else.

Sango stopped pulling her hand halfway there, taking notice of the occupied look on Kagome's face. "Kagome-chan? Is something wrong? I didn't do anything to upset you, did I?"

Kagome snapped out of her thought concentration, and looked up into Sango's pure brown eyes. She could see the stress and concern that shone so brightly in them. She waved her hands frantically in front of her, as if trying to erase the thoughts from Sango's mind manually. "Really, Sango, I'm fine. I was just thinking about Inuyasha."

"What about him?" The concern in her eyes was replaced with something else: curiosity.

"He's... leaving in four days."

"Leaving?!" Sango jumped back, releasing her grip on Kagome's arm. "What do you mean, leaving? He just got here! Kagome-chan, you can't let him leave! I don't want to ever see you like that again!"

"Sango-chan... it's not something that can be easily helped. Inuyasha... he's going to-" She bit back tears swelling in her eyes. "He's going to die again."

"Die? Kagome-chan, what's going on?" Sango listened patiently while Kagome explained about what she had overheard this morning in her hut. Sango's face remained stone solid throughout the memory. Finally, after a few minutes of silence, she spoke up. "Kagome-chan, are you really okay with this?"

She shook her head. "How can anyone be okay with something like this? I just got him back, and now, he's leaving me again."

"Kagome-chan." Sango put a hand on her shoulder, her eyes burning into hers. "You have to tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"How you feel about him."

Kagome flinched, then laughed nervously. "Sango-chan, you're such a kidder. There's no way I could."

"This will be your only chance! Aren't you tired of wondering what could've been? This is the opportunity to find out!"

She shook her head. "He loves Kikyou. I don't need him telling me that."

"He loves you, too, Kagome-chan."

"But not as much." She hung her head, tears falling onto the ground. "I.... I don't want it to end like this, but what can I do? I don't want him to tell me that I'm not worth as much to him as Kikyou is. I don't want him to tell me it doesn't matter. I don't want it to end like that!"

Sango gathered Kagome into her arms. "Kagome-chan, I know it hurts. I know it does. But listen to me, Kagome-chan. What if he cares about you more than you think he does? What if he returns your love? You don't know, Kagome-chan. You have to do this."

"I can't!" she sobbed.

"If you don't tell him," Sango pushed her away so that Kagome could see that she was serious. "I will. I can't stand to see you like this, Kagome-chan, tearing yourself apart like this. Not again. You have a chance, and now, you have to take it."

She grabbed Kagome's hand and led her the rest of the way to the hot springs. Kagome said nothing, letting the ultimatum Sango had given her sink in.


End file.
